Intramedullary Spinal Cord Ganglioglioma Presenting as Hyperhidrosis: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review

Background: Hyperhidrosis is caused by sympathetic dysfunction of the central or peripheral nervous system. However, intramedullary spinal cord tumors presenting with hyperhidrosis as an initial symptom have been rarely reported in the literature.

Case description: This case involves an 18-year-old man who presented with abnormal enhanced sweating and flushing on the bilateral side of his face and neck that had persisted for 6 years. Magnetic resonance (MR) images revealed that at the C7-T2 levels of the spinal cord, a large intramedullary tumor was involved in the cervicothoracic region. The patient underwent gross total resection of the tumor via the fluorescein-guided technique and intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring. The histopathologic diagnosis revealed ganglioglioma. The symptoms gradually improved after surgery, and the patient presented with virtually complete remission at the end of an 18-month follow-up.

Conclusions: Few cases of intramedullary spinal cord tumors presenting as hyperhidrosis in clinical manifestation have been reported in the literature. Sympathetic irritation by the tumor, particularly in the location around the gray matter of the lateral spinal cord, may account for the hyperhidrosis as the initial symptom in this patient. Therefore, if a patient has autonomic dysfunction, the spine cord should be additionally examined using MR imaging.